Prince of Peace
by DR. COFFIN
Summary: Alternate Universe. In a world where the Marvel and DC heroes and villains exist together, the forces of good and evil witness the end of the family of a little boy named Warren.


I came up with this story to work through some writer's block I've been having with the next couple of chapters of "We're Not In Kansas Anymore".

Actually the full origin dates back to the first time I saw Sky High, and heard the immortal words "all I know is that his mother was a hero…and his father was a villain." For some reason one very particular couple popped into my head, one that I knew would turn the entire hero/villain world upside down. This is the result.

I've replaced all the Sky High heroes and villains with established Marvel and DC characters and I've refrained from using the super names of all the heroes and villains mentioned, as it seemed to make what has happened more intimate. I also did it for a little fun to see if anyone can name all the heroes and villains I mention that way (though Warren's mom and dad are dead giveaways).

I don't own any of the characters…but I sure love them as much as if I did.

**Prince of Peace**

The war was finally over.

The battlefield was actually the remains of an ancient castle that had masked a high tech fortress known and feared across the world. Amongst the ruins moved numerous powerful figures, each one checking upon their fellows or the restraints holding their defeated opponents. One in particular approached the crying mistress of the castle.

"I'm so sorry this happened Dianna," he said, his great heart on the verge of breaking for what he had been forced to do.

"It's not your fault Clark," said Dianna, "I just don't understand why he did this…why associate with these…people after so long a time? Why did he do it?"

Clark could not begin to guess as he looked at the defeated and bound form of Dianna's husband, the fallen king of this tiny European land they were in. He had personally peeled the gray armor off of Dianna's husband, but he left him his mask…he deserved that dignity at least. He had always been an honorable opponent, even in the time before the peace that had existed for eight years that had been shattered this dark day.

Clark felt a hand on his shoulder and found himself looking into the crystal blue eyes of his own wife Ororo. She looked like she had been crying as well.

"How could he just throw her love away like that?" Clark asked her, "She deserved so much better than this…so does their son."

Ororo had to withhold a smile. She loved her muscle-bound husband with all her heart, but there were times he just didn't seem that bright. Some of their friends had figured out why Victor had done this, and she would explain it later, once they were home and their own little boy William was asleep in his bed.

Then they saw him.

Though the eight-year old boy was dwarfed by all the super powered adults around him, he still stood straight and tall, every inch the prince he was born to be on both his father and mother's sides. He was dressed in simple dark clothes and wore boots. His shoulder-length dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail to show his handsome features. Long ago, before the accident, his own father had been so handsome and with those genes, enhanced by his mother's literally god-blessed beauty, he was beautiful to look upon even though he was so sad.

He was going amongst the strange glowing green spheres created by Hal and Stephen to hold the defeated; the ones who his father had gathered together for a united push to subjugate all of mankind under their collective might.

They were called the Legion of Doom, named after his father, but to Warren, they were the people he had been raised around just as much as he had been around his mother's friends…the ones who had destroyed his home.

Some of them he did not go near. The one holding Emil and Solomon was barely big enough to hold the two brutes, and it wouldn't take much for them to start taking their frustrations out on each other. He did not even bother to look at the one that held the battered forms of Lex and Norman, both of whom probably needed medical attention as they had tried to mount a coup against Warren's father before being defeated by him and the ones most loyal to him. Next to that was the one holding the motionless forms of Circe and Emma, who had tried to back the attempted overthrow and attacked Warren's mother, even daring to threaten Warren. His mother had gone completely berserk, beating Circe to within an inch of her immortal life while Emma was dealt with by one of Warren's most beloved uncles.

He then passed by the sphere holding Johan and Ra's, who looked upon him with envious eyes. Both of them had daughters, yet for some reason they coveted Warren. He could not understand the importance of that; his father would not have loved him any less if he had been a girl, and it would have made things much easier for him amongst the inhabitants of his mother's homeland, though his grandmother Hypolita loved him with all her heart. Next was the one holding Creed and Slade, both extremely dangerous killers who had also coveted Warren, but in a different way; both of them did have sons of their own…but they were now dead, killed by their own fathers when left with no choice. Warren probably felt sorriest for them most of all.

Nearby he saw Charles in his beautiful wheelchair with the x-shaped spokes Warren liked. He wanted to go talk to him, but saw he was engaged in a conversation with Erik, who had a bubble all his own either out of respect or functionality. Another bubble held Grodd, who was still not recovered from his defeat by Charles' mental powers, and a third held both Otto and Milton, who were having their own talk about energy conversion and displacement…something utterly boring to Warren.

He came to the bubble holding his two most favorite "aunts". They were whispering quietly to each other when they noticed his approach.

"Hello, Aunt Raven…Aunt Talia," said Warren, placing his hand on the bubble and feeling the tingle of the energy.

"Hello Warren," said Aunt Raven, smiling warmly to him, "we've had quite a day haven't we?" Aunt Raven had resumed her true form, which Warren had always thought was beautiful with her blue skin and red hair contrasting with her white dress, gloves and boots. She had used her power to make herself look like Warren's mother and distract Circe long enough for the real queen to recover and finally get her hands on her enemy.

"I don't want you to go," he said, "or my uncles…or Father. What will Mother and I do without you?"

"You and your mother will be just fine without us," said Aunt Talia, smiling as well, "you're both a lot tougher than you think." Aunt Talia was wearing her simple black bodysuit she always wore when she expected trouble, and she had been right. She had been the one to sabotage Lex's power armor so that it malfunctioned when he was fighting Warren's father. "You need to go tell your uncles goodbye though. And you might see Raven and I a lot sooner than you think."

Warren then went to the final bubble, the one that held his beloved uncles. Uncle Eddie stood as tall and impressive as ever, his every bulging muscle standing out in stark relief under the slightly shifting black and white "skin" of his "other". Though he maintained the nasty set of fangs for his mouth, when Warren was around they were always smaller and less vicious looking. Uncle Jack seemed a little worse for wear, though. He was sitting on the "floor" of the bubble, his bright purple suit rather rumpled and his bolo tie with the smiley face ornament was slightly askew. His green hair was mussed up and he looked like he was just now finally catching his breath. He gave Uncle Eddie a dirty look when he nudged him with his foot, then looked and saw Warren approaching. He slowly stood and tried to tidy himself up as the boy came to them.

These were the two…or would it be three…that had joined Aunt Raven and Aunt Talia in coming to his father's aid to beat back the ones who had tried to usurp his authority and kill him and Warren's mother. Uncle Eddie had pulled Norman from the sky and savagely beaten him, while Uncle Jack, proving immune to Emma's mental powers because he was crazy, had shocked her into unconsciousness with his two thousand volt joy buzzer.

"Heya, kiddo," grinned Uncle Jack. Of course Uncle Jack was nearly always grinning, but it was different when Warren was around, almost as if he WAS glad to see him.

"Hi Uncle Jack, Uncle Eddie," said Warren, wishing he could give his "crazy uncles" one last hug before they went away, "I'll miss you both so much."

"And we're going to miss you too," said Uncle Jack, his smile actually fading as a sad look came into his eyes, "but don't you worry about us either. We're going to get plenty of rest where we're going…plenty of places to lay down. There's even mattresses on the walls."

Uncle Eddie gave Uncle Jack a slight cuff for his bad joke, and Uncle Jack returned it with one of his own. Warren couldn't help but grin at the two of them…they were always so silly when they were together. He couldn't understand why it seemed nearly everyone else was scared of them. Finally the impromptu slap fight ended, and the two settled down.

"You take care of yourself," Uncle Eddie said in his strange double voice, as Warren knew he was also speaking for his "other"; the bizarre alien life form that was attached to him. As if to press the point, a black tendril reached out and pressed against the bubble on the spot where Warren's hand rested as if it could touch his hand one last time.

"I'll miss you too, "other"," said Warren, remembering all the fun times he had with the strange being when it came to play with him while Uncle Eddie was visiting.

With that Warren turned and went to join his mother, who was standing beside his father.

A few moments later a taller, much darker form approached the bubble, and both inside instantly scowled as they knew who it was, especially Jack.

"So what did you two get out of this?" asked the tall man in gray with the flowing black cape.

"Oh come on," Jack smiled, "what do YOU think?"

"I think the two of you figured out what Victor was REALLY up to, and went along with it for your own reasons. You," he pointed to Eddie, "I can't believe would associate with so many killers unless you had a chance to take them down somehow. And you," he looked at Jack "could never resist a good joke, and this is one the entire world will get."

"Guess you got us Batsy," said Jack.

"The boy got to you. Funny. I never expected YOU to have feelings for a child."

"I lost my mind a long time ago, pointy ears," said Jack, "not my heart."

* * *

"Not so big now, are you?" Warren heard the voice, and anger swelled within him. 

It was one of Richards' bunch. The obnoxious little blonde jerk that thought he was so great.

Sure enough, there he was, awash in his flames as he taunted Warren's father while his mother and her friends were distracted. This would not be tolerated.

"GET AWAY FROM MY FATHER!" Warren commanded as he charged the offender.

"What the…" was all the punk got out as he turned to find Warren coming at him.

"JOHNNY!" Clark yelled as he saw what was happening, "YOU POWER DOWN NOW BEFORE…"

Warren reached through the flames, totally unharmed, and grabbed Johnny by his shirt.

And Johnny screamed.

The flames that covered Johnny washed away and down Warren's arm to him, cloaking him in a flaming wreath. He continued to glare as he sucked every bit of fire from the braggart's very being. When it was over Warren released him to drop to the ground, shivering in cold and completely powerless. Warren then pulled the flames down and they coalesced into his hands, then disappeared, absorbed by him.

No one had moved in the split second it happened, but they did as Warren turned away from his victim and went to stand before his father, who had lifted his head to see what his son had done and beamed with pride. Richards, who had stayed back, now rushed forward to do a quick medical check and found his young brother-in-law in the beginning stages of hypothermia with frost covering his face and hair.

"What did you do to him?"

"My son has punished him," said Dianna, stepping forward to stand beside her husband and son. "He had no right to come near my husband, and you know it."

Richards did not say another word as Ben came over and picked Johnny up to carry him to one of the transports.

"You were lucky," Ben whispered to the shivering young man, "if you'd have touched my dad like that I'd have clobbered you a LOT worse."

"I'm afraid it's time," said Clark after they had left, "we'll give you a few minutes to say goodbye."

Warren stood tall and proud for a few moments, but then the tears began and he ran forward to throw his arms around his father's neck.

"Please Father," he begged, "don't let them take you away! I need you too much…Mother needs you too much…"

"Be strong, my Warren," said Victor as his own eyes behind his metal mask began to mist over, "I was your age when my father…your grandfather died, driven into the ground by the dogs that once ruled our land. I survived it, and you shall as well, for I am not dead. I shall always be with you no matter where you go."

"I don't want to leave Latveria," said Warren, "it is my home…even more than Themyscara."

"You must," said Victor, "I want you and your mother to go to her home in America. There you will be safe from those who would seek to harm you…and you must not use my name."

"My name is Warren Von Doom," his son said with pride, "nothing will make me change that!"

"You will use your mother's name…I have commanded you as your father and king, and you WILL obey. Is that understood?"

"Yes Father," said Warren, momentarily ashamed of himself for having tried to go against his father's wishes.

"Take my son now," said Victor, and Clark placed his arm around the boy's shoulder and led him away a short distance for his parents to be alone.

"Why did you do this Victor?" asked Dianna "wasn't my love enough for you?"

"I did it to make the world safe for our son," said Victor, the sight of his wife's tears tearing at his soul even though he knew what would happen when he first set his plan in motion. "And now it is. The worst of the worst are now to be taken away where they can never threaten anyone again…including myself."

Dianna could not say a word. Her husband had sacrificed himself to create a trap for these fiends, and had ensured that he would be on the inside with them to make sure none of them would ever escape.

Instead, she reached up and touched the hidden button on the side of her husband's headpiece that opened his mask. She looked upon his scarred visage, as totally unfazed by it now, as she had been the first time she had seen it. She gently and passionately kissed him on his lips for possibly the last time, and he returned it with equal fervor. When they finally broke, fresh tears came to her eyes as she replaced his mask.

"I shall wait for you if it takes forever," she whispered to him.

"Bold words from a goddess," he said, "ones I shall always hold to my heart."

With that Dianna turned and took Warren with her as she headed for the still standing part of the castle where her invisible plane was kept. She intended to leave Latveria, if for a little while. She knew that the United Nations would keep a watchful eye on the land for the short time she would be gone. First she would take Warren to Themyscara, where her mother would care for him while she returned to Latveria. As queen it was her duty to oversee that a true democratic government would be set up to take over once she and Warren left for America.

Clark waited until Dianna and Warren were out of sight, and then helped Victor back to his feet to be taken to the last transport where Bruce, Logan, Peter and Hal waited. They had volunteered to oversee Victor's being taken into custody as they each could understand what he had done and why, and were sympathetic to the plight of his family.

"I'm glad we don't have the usual threats of revenge in this sad situation, Victor."

"But I shall have my revenge," Victor smiled at Clark from behind his mask, "when my son rises from these ashes to become a hero greater than all of you combined."

"That's a threat I can live with," said Clark, "and I hope that it does come true."

**The End**


End file.
